Brand Recall Becomes Key Metric for Ad Effectiveness in Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY – Marketers in Vietnam are increasingly shifting their focus from traditional advertising metrics like reach and impressions to the more enduring goal of building brand recall, a strategy seen as vital for long-term growth in a competitive market. This strategic pivot was the central theme of the Vietnam CEO & CMO Summit 2026 on Brand Growth, held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 24.

The summit, organized by Chicilon Media under the theme "Seen Repeatedly - Redefining the Logic of Advertising Effectiveness," convened nearly 200 executives, marketers, and brand leaders. Attendees represented a wide range of sectors, including food and beverage, dairy, finance, insurance, real estate, automotive, consumer electronics, and retail. Across parallel sessions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which together drew representatives from nearly 400 businesses, participants explored how to adapt brand-building strategies as market pressures intensify.

Economists, executives, and market researchers at the event emphasized that the true value of advertising lies not just in being seen, but in being remembered by consumers.

Dr. Can Van Luc, Chief Economist at BIDV, noted that Vietnam's economy continues to exhibit positive growth momentum, supported by public investment, a recovery in private-sector investment, and sustained foreign direct investment. He suggested that as competition increases over the next two years, businesses will need to place a greater emphasis on strengthening their brand positioning in tandem with operational growth.

This view was complemented by consumer research insights from Le Minh Trang, a Senior Director at NIQ. She observed that shoppers are becoming more selective with their spending and tend to gravitate toward brands they already recognize and trust, a trend that underscores the value of maintaining high brand familiarity.

The discussion also addressed the complexities of the modern media landscape. The rapid expansion of digital channels has complicated the evaluation of advertising performance, as many online advertisements are skipped quickly. This has raised questions about whether simple impression counts accurately reflect consumer attention or genuine engagement.

Guo Zhi Feng, Chairman of Chicilon Media, argued for a return to fundamentals. He observed that while the industry has spent two decades discussing media trends, internet traffic, digital transformation, and now artificial intelligence, brands still face the same core challenge. He cautioned that repeated exposure does not automatically translate into consumer memory.

"The logic of measuring advertising effectiveness should return to the fundamentals of communication," Guo stated. "The beginning of communication is being seen; the essence of communication is being seen repeatedly; the outcome of communication is being remembered."

Reflecting this sentiment, marketing specialists at the summit noted that purchasing decisions are typically influenced by repeated interactions with a brand, not a single exposure. Consequently, many companies are integrating long-term awareness and brand recall more deeply into their marketing strategies. Major consumer brands such as TH True Milk, Oppo, Coca-Cola, and Unilever continue to invest in sustained visibility campaigns designed to maintain top-of-mind awareness among consumers.

In this context, elevator advertising has emerged as a medium of interest for its ability to provide high-frequency exposure in locations consumers visit daily. Research from Fifty5Blue presented at the summit indicated that elevator media achieved a 99% visibility rate, an 87% attention rate, and an 82% content recall rate.

Speakers attributed these results to factors including close viewing distances, a low-distraction environment, and the repetitive nature of exposure as people wait for and ride in elevators. In premium residential buildings and Grade A office towers, this medium also offers direct access to consumers with stable incomes and significant purchasing power. Furthermore, the integration of NFC technology allows advertisers to link brand-building efforts with direct consumer engagement, potentially shortening the path from awareness to purchase.

The consensus following the summits in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City was clear: as competition intensifies, the effectiveness of advertising can no longer be judged by reach or impressions alone. The ability to create lasting brand recall is increasingly becoming the critical driver of sustainable brand growth.